TUTORIAL #2 v1.00
Jumping Tutorial by Scott Weintraub (scottw@wam.umd.edu)
Disclaimer:
In-line skating can be a safe sport, provided that you wear safety-gear and skate within your ability. Neither Scott Weintraub nor the maintainers of this FAQ take any responsibility for any injuries you may incur while attempting any of these moves.Additionally, these pictures are the property of Scott Weintraub (scottw@wam.umd.edu). Copying them for your own use requires his prior permission.
See all the pics in sequence | See the animated sequence (300K)
The standard frontal jump is one of the more basic moves but as you start executing longer and higher jumps can be considered one of the more advanced. Really high and far jumps give you this incredible feeling when you peak. For that one split second you'd swear you could fly.
GIF #1: Here, I'm making my approach. The distance you travel in the air when jumping is almost completely dependent on the speed you are moving at when you make the leap. Make sure there is plenty of room before the jump to reach the necessary speed. In this case, I am jumping a set of seven long steps. This requires me to approach at a pretty fast speed, and although you can't see it in the still, at this point I'm really moving. And now that I've achieved the pace I want and am getting mighty close to those stairs, I stop skating and start coasting.
GIF #2: I'm right at those stairs. Notice my feet are close together. You want to jump with both feet at the same time. People commonly make the mistake of taking off on only one foot. That's a no-no. I'm also bending down now and my arms are back and prepared to pull me up with all my might in less than a second.
GIF #3: Takeoff. This is another very crucial moment. The absolute most common mistake that people make at this point is to jump out. YOU NEVER WANT TO JUMP OUT. ALWAYS JUMP UP. Your forward momentum will carry you the length of any object you wish to clear. You need to use those strong legs to get height. Also, if you jump outward, you're a hundred times more likely to slip in addition to losing control of your legs while in the air.
GIF #4/5: You're witnessing the peak of my jump from two different angles. If you're just doing a standard jump (i.e.- no grabs, nothing fancy), compress yourself by tucking. Pull those legs up as high as you can. If you're just starting out, getting a nice tuck may be difficult. Keep working at it though. It will really increase the height you achieve. If you're interested in doing any sort of grabs, perhaps a nice tweek or spread eagle, this is the time to do it.
GIF #6: I'm preparing to land. I've come out of my tuck. The ground is coming up on me quick.
GIF #7: This is the exact moment I'm hitting the ground. Try to land on all eight wheels.
GIF #8: This part is also pretty crucial and may take some practice to master. When you hit that ground, you're doing so with a lot of force. It's at this point that you turn into a human shock absorber. You want to take most of the force in your knees. Do this by bending them. Many people make the mistake of bending their back down instead of their knees. That's bad. If you do that, your back takes the shock. That's when it hurts, espeically, if you're like me and have chronic back and neck pain in the family. Notice that I'm practically knealing on the ground. You can help yourself get even lower to the ground (and absord more of that shock) but turning your back skate sideways and dragging it, almost like an elongated t-stop. That's what I'm doing, and as a result, slew the nasty Shock Monster.
There are four crucial elements to remember when jumping. I'll repeat them in case you forgot:
- Make sure you're taking off with both feet at the same time.
- Make sure you're jumping upward and not outward.
- Make sure you tuck when you're in the air. (crucial when going for height.)
- Make sure you've got that landing down.
Questions, comments, etc, can all be addressed to me, Scott Weintraub, at scottw@wam.umd.edu.